Santa Rosa, California is in the heart of wine country, but what makes this city special is its Downtown Farmer’s Market and Street Fair , open every Wednesday Night. This extraordinary market is Sonoma county’s most popular and largest event from mid-May through September. The Downtown Market is where the community comes together and celebrates the bounty of the freshest produce, fine foods, handmade arts and crafts, superb entertainment and city tours. This market fills up Santa Rosa’s downtown from 4th Street from Mendocino Avenue to E Street, beginning at 5pm until 8:30pm.
The Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce , 22 years ago, so liked how San Luis Obispo’s farmers market brought together its community, that they decided to get with the business and community leaders of Santa Rosa to organize a farmers market of their own. The Wednesday Night Market has been a success ever since. All ages come into downtown Santa Rosa to participate and enjoy the summer evenings with their family. Visitors staying at the hotels Santa Rosa offers also get a real treat when then see downtown come alive with thousands of locals walking around, purchasing produce and listening to great music. The market boast of an attendance of anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 Sonoma County residents and tourists every week, making this one of the hotspots in all of Sonoma.
Tours are given every Wednesday by the Downtown Library in collaboration with the Farmers Market; beginning at 6pm and at 7pm, from the corner of E and 3rd Streets, each tour last about 45 minutes. On July 7, 2010, the ‘Church of One Tree’ tour begins; July 14th, the ‘Fountaingrove Colony: History and Art’ tour begins; July 21st, the ‘Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery: Where Our Streets Got Their Names; July 28th, the ’28th 90 Miles of Creek in Santa Rosa: a partial tour’ and on August 8th, the ‘Art in Public Places: Artists in the Streets’ tour begins.
The entertainment happens on 4 stages: The Main Stage on 4th and E Street; on the Corner of 4th and D; 600 block of 4th Street; and on the 700 Block of 4th Street. The music varies as much as the stages and there are also Chef Demonstrations. So, when you book a room at a hotel in Santa Rosa, make sure to book a Wednesday night!